The Accuracy and Complexity of Children's Responses to Teacher Questions

• In Event: Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Understanding Intruction, Motivation, and Learning in Literacy

Abstract

Shared book reading is a widely-recommended practice in public early childhood classrooms. This context is valuable for fostering literacy, language and building knowledge. This study examined teacher questions and child responses during shared book reading. We analyzed the grammatical form of teachers’ questions (e.g., Wh-questions, How/Why-questions). Then we examined children’s contingent responses for accuracy (accurate/inaccurate) and level of cognitive demand within response (literal vs. inferential). Turn-by-turn speech during shared book reading was evaluated in 78 preschool classrooms. Sequential analyses demonstrated that preschool children were able to respond accurately to all types of questions over 80% of the time, even higher-level How/Why questions. Importantly, How/Why-questions were the only wording form likely to elicit inferential-level responses rather than literal responses.

Authors

• Tuan Tang, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

• Tricia A. Zucker, McGovern Medical School at University of Texas Health Science Center Houston

• Jill Pentimonti, American Institutes for Research

• Virginia Tompkins, The Ohio State University - Lima

• Mindy Bridges, University of Kansas Medical Center

• Ryan Bowles, Michigan State University

• Sherine Tambyraja, The Ohio State University - Columbus

• Laura M. Justice, The Ohio State University